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Broad optimistic over injury

England captain Stuart Broad is confident he will be fit to play a full part in the World Twenty20 despite knee problems.

Broad missed the last two T20s in the West Indies last week due to a flaring up of ongoing tendonitis in his right knee and received an injection to ease the condition before the team departed Barbados on Friday.

The same teams meet again in Fatullah on Tuesday as preparations for the global competition continue but Broad is set to leave deputy Eoin Morgan in charge once again while he readies himself for Wednesday's final practice match against India.

England's hectic schedule - and Broad's participation in all three formats - is partly to blame for his knee complaint and he has also had a less than ideal weekend of recovery, touching down only briefly on British soil before continuing on to Dubai and then Dhaka.

"I had an injection on my knee last week and they normally take eight to 10 days (to take effect) but with the flight, we left Barbados on Friday afternoon and didn't get here until Sunday night," he said.

"It was quite a long travel and we had to manage that. It is unlikely I will play (against West Indies) because I have not actually run since I had the injection yet, but I would say I will definitely play against India the next day.

"The soreness has gone a bit, I managed to get a gym session in while we were in Dubai, we were 12 hours in transit so I have rested pretty well."

Broad admits he would feel different about his role if the rigours of a Test series were on the horizon rather than the short, sharp shock of Twenty20.

He would not need to be at his physical peak to successfully negotiate four overs per match in Bangladesh, but may be due a well-earned rest once England's participation is over.

"If it was a Test tour it might be more concerning but with only four overs per game I am pretty confident I will be able to play a full part in this World Cup," he concluded.

Broad, speaking at his captain's arrival press conference, also indulged in the now traditional round of cautious optimism, declaring his team well prepared and ready to fight for a trophy they won in 2010.

In truth, they are the least fancied of the Test playing nations and with unexpected personnel changes and an Ashes hangover still to be shaken off, a semi-final berth would be seen as a real achievement.

But Broad said: "The guys have been in great spirits and are really excited about coming here and putting those skills to the test.

"This is our last tour of the winter having been in Australia for a lot of it but there is still a lot of excitement and energy about the World Cup and that is what you need.

"The thing about T20 World Cups is that it is all about momentum and peaking for those two-and-a-half, three weeks. The fact that no side has won it twice shows there is no particular speciality in the way you play, just that one team gets on a roll.

"In sub-continental conditions you probably expect a sub-continental team to be in the final and take victory but we know deep down we have some really good match-winners in our team. If one of those can take the tournament by the scruff of the neck suddenly you can find yourself in the final or a semi-final so it is really exciting."

England play their first group game against New Zealand on March 22 in Chittagong, where they also take on Sri Lanka, South Africa and a yet to be determined qualifier for a place in the last four.